Customs Jumps Into The Shipping Security Ring

December 10th, 2002 by
Howard Skolnik

Filed under: Uncategorized

Focusing on international shippers and freight agents, the US Customs Service has established a security program to manage the huge share of goods that move by surface modes. The effort has won widespread support from shippers, carriers and forwarders as it focuses at the point where government oversight and commercial supply chains intersect. The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) is a joint effort between industry and the US government. For meeting enhanced security criteria, shippers will face fewer cargo inspections, faster border clearance times and account-based import processing. Some of the enhanced security issues will include: assessing the security of cargo and the facilities, checking the background of vendors and employees, providing security inspections of product safety, data and documentation, and implementing a self-diagnostics compliance program that includes security policies and procedures. To find out more about C-TPAT or to understand how C-TPAT will affect your organization, visit C-TPAT for more specific information.